Letter of safe conduct for Henryk Kania. The court imposes a condition of payment of PLN 8 million
The court's decision aroused controversy among both the prosecutor's office and Kania's defenders. Prosecutor Sebastian Głuch from the National Prosecutor's Office informed that the court set the deadline for payment of the surety for June 30, 2026, and the justification for the decision would be prepared later. The prosecutor's office announces the possibility of appealing the decision, emphasizing that, according to the regulations, a safe-conduct should not be issued in the event of the prosecutor's objection.
— The court found that the prosecutor's objection is not decisive and a letter of safe conduct can be issued, said prosecutor Głuch, adding that the court's decision will be carefully analyzed.
Henryk Kania's defenders also do not hide their dissatisfaction with the amount of the surety. Attorney Olgierd Pogorzelski assessed the amount as “too strict”, arguing that the suspect was deprived of his assets as a result of ongoing criminal proceedings.
— We will certainly consider appealing against this decision when we receive written justification, said Pogorzelski.
The court also questioned the prosecutor's ability to object to the application for a safe conduct, which, according to Kania's defenders, is in line with the trend in Polish case law.
Henryk Kania, currently residing in Argentina, expressed his willingness to return to Poland to face the charges and participate in proceedings regarding his property. Lawyers point out that the current situation prevents him from actively participating in trials related to accusations and property matters, the value of which reaches hundreds of millions of zlotys.
The prosecutor's office accuses Kania of a number of crimes, including leading an organized criminal group and fraud to the detriment of banks, suppliers and the State Treasury. As revealed by prosecutor Głuch, the investigation revealed the issuance of approximately PLN 2.5 thousand. fictitious invoices for a total amount of nearly PLN 900 million. The proceedings against Zakłady Mięsne Henryk Kania SA have been ongoing since July 2019, and 40 people have already been charged.
Other famous names also appear in the case. Former Minister of Agriculture Wojciech Olejniczak, detained by the CBA in November 2024, was charged with acting to the detriment of Alior Bank in connection with granting loans to Kani plants. According to investigators, the damage amounts to PLN 161 million.
Zakłady Mięsne Kania, once the market leader, declared bankruptcy in 2020. The company's founder, Henryk Kania senior, died in 2024, and his son, Henryk Kania junior, became the main suspect in the ongoing investigation. In 2020, he was detained in Buenos Aires and placed under house arrest.
Kania's case remains one of the most complex commercial proceedings in Poland, and the decision of the Katowice court may be a breakthrough moment in this case.
